The Consultative Committee (Con-com), which was tasked to review the 1987 Constitution, finally followed President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to ban him from seeking presidency again under a new charter.
Under Section 2, Article XXII (Transitory Provisions) of the “final official copy” of the draft federal charter released to media on Tuesday, July 17, “The incumbent President is prohibited from running as President in the 2022 elections under the Constitution.”
On July 9, Duterte approved “in toto” or almost in full the proposed federal constitution and will endorse it the Congress; however, he wanted to amend the transitory provisions as he wants to step down before the shift to a federal form of government.
In Section 3, Article XXII of the amended draft, the President “shall call for an election for the Transition President and Vice President in tandem” within six months from the ratification of the Constitution.
The transition president and vice president, according to Article VIII of the new charter, must be a natural-born Filipino citizen, registered voter, college degree holder, at least 40 years of age, and domiciled in the Philippines for at least 10 years immediately preceding such election.
“Congress shall, by law, provide for the conduct of the election and appropriate funds for the purpose,” the Con-com proposal states.
The elected transition president, who will serve until June 30, 2022, will preside over the orderly transition to the Federal System of the Government.
The two leaders will also be “ineligible to run for any public office in the May 2022 elections.”
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. earlier reiterated Duterte’s pronouncement that he will step down from office by 2019 if the new Constitution is approved.
“Sabi nga niya, ito nga ay para maalis lahat ng suspetsa na may ibang balakid pagdating sa Charter Change (Cha-cha) at pangalawa nga eh ay pagod na [siya] (He said that this is to remove all speculations that he has other motives with the Charter Change and second is that he is already tired),” Roque said in an interview with DZMM.
Roque added that the President wants Filipinos to choose a ‘younger’ leader.
[READ: Roque says Duterte wants ‘younger’ transition leader]